How Long After A Tattoo Can You Shower Normally?
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How long after a tattoo can you shower normally?
How Soon After a Tattoo Can I Shower? – Your first shower after a new tattoo can be the day after you got the tattoo. That could be between 12 and 48 hours. Sometimes, the tattoo becomes messy after a night of oozing blood and ink. In order for the tattoo to start healing properly, you need to give it a light wash with antibacterial soap and lukewarm water.
After 48 hours, your tattoo should be good for water exposure, but only once or twice a day. During the first week, it is essential not to expose the tattoo to the water for longer periods. This will prevent the tattoo from drying and forming a new skin layer.
In such a case, your tattoo could get infected. Note : we also recommend you avoid sweat-inducing activities, like working out, jogging, etc. Sweat carries bacteria that can infect the tattoo. Furthermore, sweating prevents the tattoo from drying out, which could also lead to an infection.
Can you take a shower after getting a tattoo?
What happens if you take a bath after getting a tattoo? – Exposing the fresh wound to water can result in infection and skin irritation. It is because soaking in soapy water, swimming pool, hot tubs, or shower water can lead to soreness and itchy skin.
Many people find it difficult to control to itch that further damages the tattoo design. In no time of water contact and itching , you will find pigment missing from your design. Your tattoo will either look incomplete or spread out.
Water contact with the skin leads to several types of skin infection as well that will be bad for a fresh tattoo. Along with a shower, you will be advised to stay away from any water-based activities such as washing, swimming, sauna, hot water tubs, etc.
How long after getting a tattoo should you take care of it?
The First 48 Hours After Are Crucial – Not surprisingly, proper tattoo care in the first 48 hours after getting inked is majorly important to the healing process. After you get a tattoo, the artist will bandage your ink to protect it from the elements — or prying hands.
- How long you keep on that protection depends on the type of bandage used;
- According to Ann Arbor tattoo artist Carrie Metz-Caporusso , medical-grade bandages like Saniderm and Tegiderm are usually worn for 24 hours or longer;
Any other bandage is likely to be removed in a couple of hours at most. Double check with your artist for their recommendation.
What happens if you Soak Your Tattoo in water?
– Nope. Your tattoo is an open wound, and soaking in water could expose it to bacteria and increase the risk of infection. Soaking can also dry out the skin, leading to cracking and making it more susceptible to infection and scarring. You need to avoid submerging your tattoo in water or keeping it wet for a prolonged period of time.
Can I shower after getting ink off?
You Can Shower After Getting a Tattoo, But Remember to Use Mild Soap – When it comes to showering after a new tattoo , it’s best to ask your tattoo artist when you can lather up. Their answer will depend on the type of bandage they use to seal their work before sending you off.
- “Depending on what type of bandage you receive determines when you can shower,” Metz-Caporusso tells Bustle;
- “If you get Saniderm or Tegiderm, then you can shower immediately;
- This type of covering is waterproof;
If you get a classic bandage or cling wrap, then you must wait anywhere from two to 12 hours, depending on what your artist recommends. After you take that off, you can shower anytime. ” But it’s important to use a mild, fragrance-free soap when you do shower or wash your new ink.
Think classic Dial soap or anything anti-bacterial and gentle. After a gentle washing, Brooklyn-based tattoo artist John O’Hara recommends applying Aquaphor to hydrate the skin and create a barrier to prevent infection.
“The key is to apply a very thin layer, let the skin absorb the Aquaphor for about 10-15 seconds, and blot off the excess with a sanitary paper towel,” O’Hara tells Bustle. “This will give you the right amount.
